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Bobcat Introduces TL623 Telehandler
Jessica Schwartz
My Landscape: The Grove At Ole Miss
Featuring 160 trees, this 10-acre area is a daily stop for students and faculty as well as a gathering place for commencement and other special events. Keeping this landscape healthy and attractive is the job of Landscape Services at Ole Miss. Jeff McManus, CGM, director of landscape services at the University of Mississippi, shares what it takes to keep The Grove vibrant. By Turf Staff From the Spring 2019 Issue Please describe The Grove on The University of Mississippi campus. What are its characteristics and uses? Designed as a place where students could relax and study, this 10-acre space is a unique area in the center of the campus. In 2004, we inventoried the trees; there are 160 trees, consisting of 50 species. The turf is tall fescue. Generally, we use a tall fescue blend that can handle the deep shade of The Grove as well as the hot summer heat. Although tall fescue is a cool season grass and does great in the spring and fall, it does a fair job in deep shade if kept moist during the summer. Also, Bermuda grass is used in full sun areas. The Grove is not flat terrain; there is a slight pitch in the sense that it slopes a bit. This lends itself to a stage area, where commencement is held. Every second Saturday in May, this area is set up with 15,000 folding chairs for that event. The “claim to fame” for The Grove is tailgating for home football games; ...
Keep An Eye On Lawn And Tree Disease
By Lindsey Getz From the Spring 2019 Issue As a lawn care operator, you’re in the business of producing well-maintained and lush green lawns and landscapes. But the unpredictability of weather and the prevalence of certain diseases (as a result of changing weather and site conditions) can make this challenging to say the least. Even so, having success with turf and tree disease management as an add-on service isn’t exactly an easy feat, either. It often requires taking the time to talk to and educate customers—along with a serious dose of honesty. Fred Oskanian, owner of Terra Lawn Care Specialists in Collegeville, PA, knows a thing about that. In fact, he’s often competing against the “big national companies” that tend to make hard sales pitches and even use diseases as bait. “There is a lot of misinformation out there, and some of it is perpetuated by companies who are willing to use any line to hook new customers,” Oskanian says. “It’s why we have two agronomists on staff, and we make all of our technicians obtain their own licensure. We’ve been out to properties in which the client was told their lawn was dead when in fact it was just dormant.” Oskanian says that lawn care companies that fail to educate their clients also run the risk of the client assuming they did something wrong, when in fact, the lawn has just been plagued by disease. “That’s why we’re big on sending one of our two lead technicians over to ...
